A favorite hobby of many pet owners is going for walks with their pet. For example, many dog and cat owners will often take their pet for a walk every day or almost every day. Unfortunately, this can lead to undesirable encounters. For example, pets can attack other animals or people. In addition, pets can become distracted and run away or run into the street where they can be hit and killed. Because of these dangers, many states and cities now have ordinances requiring pets to be on a leash when outdoors.
A particularly popular type of leash among pet owners is a retractable leash. A retractable leash can allow the pet owner to vary the distance that the pet can be from the owner at any given time. In particular, the owner can allow the pet to wander farther away when it is safe to do so and keep the pet closer when it would be unsafe for the pet to wander.
Retractable leashes often let out leash unless a brake is applied. That is, the default is that as the pet walks farther away, the retractable leash lengthens to accommodate the pet unless it is set to not let out any more leash. This can increase the danger for the pet and the pet owner. For example, if the owner sees danger, such as a car or another pet, the pet can continue to walk.
In addition, there is a danger if the pet begins to run away. By the time the pet owner has a chance to apply a brake, the pet may already have momentum away from the pet owner. That is, by the time the pet owner reacts to the pet running away, the pet may already be at a high rate of speed. If the pet owner then applies a brake or the leash reaches the full length all of the momentum acts as a force on the pet owner, pulling him or her in the direction of the running pet.
This can lead to discomfort or injury for the pet owner. For example, it can pull on the pet owner's arm or can pull the pet owner off his or her feet. The pet owner then has to try to prevent injury while simultaneously trying to regain control of the pet. In particular, the pet owner might continue to have a pet pulling them in one direction while simultaneously attempting to break his or her fall.
This can also lead to discomfort or injury to the pet. In particular, many leashes are attached to a pet via a collar. A collar is a piece of material placed around the pet's neck. This means that as the pet reaches the end of the leash or the owner applies the leash brake, the force applied by the owner to stop the pet's momentum is applied to the pet's neck which can cause injury to the pet's windpipe or vertebrae.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a leash that includes an automatic brake. Additionally, there is a need for the automatic brake to be applied quickly, before the pet has a chance to build up momentum.